The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-05-11


with the midnight western express at Ches-
terton. When Brownie came home and went
sleepily up stairs next morning he was already
loo miles away. He had a temper, when it
was up.
Brownie came down from her late sleep at
noon, weary, pale and little cross.
Il didn't like to disturb You before,n said
Shirley, "but here's note Robert sent me-
You will know what il means, suppose"
1t was brief note of farewell He had
started for the Pacific, he wrote. The jour
ney was an unexpected one and he was sorry
10 leave, but Brownie could explain matters
So he was gone,
Brownie read the letter again and again, to
make sure. She was dazed When at last
she could not help knowing the truth she
leaned her head upon Shirley's faithful shoul-
der, and cried to break her heart
Il never thought he'd GO never thought
it," she sobbed. Il only teased him for the
fun of it"
The trouble was not any easier for her to
bear, either, as the days went on and the tall
lover did not come back. She clung for long
against reason TO the hope that his heart
would fail at the last, and he would vet re-
turn before the vessel sailed.
Christmas came and went Christmas was
to have been her wedding day. The winter
leng ned into spring, still no word from the
missing one. Then Brownie gave up looking
for him.
So it was not to be all peaches and cream
for her. She still wore his ring, the quaint
circlet of turquoise and forget t-me not ne had
placed on her finger that day in the autumn
woods She did not know where to send it to
him. Not a word had come.
She waited awhile and then rallied, this in
Ii
the falseness the heartlessness of the mascu-
line sex. She carried it off bravely enough
among her young friends 1t was easy to
say that they had quarreled and he had gone
off in a huff and wasn't coming back She
meant to do as she liked sweetheart or no
sweetheart, and gentlemen who didn't ap-
prove her ways needn't, that was all
But she fretted secretly, nevertheless, and
pined visibly. She had been more in earnest
in caring for Robert Edgerly than in any
thing in her butterfly life before. With Shir-
ley she broke down and did not deny that
she was fretting her life out. Shirley made
no solemn face over the matter. Shirley
laughed at her and rallied her TO keep up her
spirits.
Really, do you think he will ever come
back, Shirley4' she asked her sister.
Cant say, probably not. But don't worry
about it. Get another lover. That's the
best way for young lady TO cure broken
heart. You've plenty of admirers, I'm sure y
But they are all such stupids after him"
You ought to have considered that before
you teased him so.
''But | never thought he would go off in
earnest. They always do come back They
seem to like it. He's the first man / ever
saw that 1 couldn't manage as pleased
''You are getting knowledge of the world,
then, Brownie-increasing your stock of ex-
perience. You are getting your eyes opened :"
81 don't want them opened. 1t isn't the
fair thing for such trouble to happen to me-"
said this spoiled child.
'Its what we all come to, answered Shir-
| ley, with sudden gravity.
1t was true that Brownie had many ad-
mirers. She had not the sisters marvellous
| beauty, the splendid face that, once seen, men
and women turn to look at again; that, once
| seen, remained a picture in memory to eter-
| nifty. But Brownie had the prettiness that
| attracted common men far oftener On the
whole, it suited her better, too.
| Adorers buzzed about her in numbers after
| Edgerly had departed. Undoubtedly she
| would have consoled herself in time 1t may
or may not be anything against her in the
estimation of lady readers to tell that on her
| Nevertheless, truth is mighty The truth will
weigh nothing against her with the gentle
masculine reader-we know that.
As it was, however, Brownie refused TO be
| comiorted for whole twelvemonth. That
was a long time.
| s5hirleys tender, watchful soul was troubled
| about her sister. She tried in ali loving,
| lively ways to change her thought She filed
| in the evenings with gay company and kept
the girl out in the sunshine by day. She in
| vented eIrands for her here and there.
| So the summer wore on into the fall, quite
year since Robert had rushed off in huff.
1t was indeed a year to day That very day
Shirley sent Brownie to old Mime. Frenchy's
| cottage across the woodlands.
Brownie had great fancy for jewels ard
| bright bits of color about her 1t was long
inheritance from red blooded ancestry. She
was fond of rings, and wore half dozen
sometimes Again she was braceleted like an
| Indian princess and necklaced TO match.
With all these, too, such a vivid, flashing,
| quick moving creature was Brownie, she did
| not look overdone.
| This afternoon it suited her fancy to rig
herself out in heather splendor. Besides
| rings, bracelets and neck pin, she wore the
| pretty watch and chain Shirley had given
her at her eighteenth birthday. She had on
a crimson dress. What with her bright dress,
the shining bits of gold and stone about her,
and the sunshine glancing on and off her as
she moved along the woodland path, she
looked like a red bird flashing among the
trees
"Be sure and get back before dark, said
Shirley.
The path led near the very tree under which
Robert had stood that day year ago, in the
blazing glory of the falling leaves. Could
she help lingering under the tree and signing
| as she thought of the sweet might have been
| Could she help, indeed, wandering on beyond
| the hill to the exact spot where the lost lover
had placed his mothers ring upon her finger
and asked her to wear it alwaysi The ring
was there still. The turquoise trife itseli
thrilled with an electric wave of recollection
| Till she felt Its pressure on her nnger. cn'
could have cried as she thought of it. To-
bad too bad it wasl
wild man started up before her. He wa
hungry, be was mad with rage against th'
world He was wicked. He was fit for deed
of terror. There was a Lucifer like grac'
and comeliness about him, too, as he fun.
himself across the way with his swinging
arms and cleaning eyes. He stood in from
of the girl His glance roved over her il
silence. Her heart beat heavy and fast
Her striking, fantastic prettineSs, the jewel
about her, aroused the evil in the man ye
more.
He was a tall, powerful man She wa
wholly at his mercy.
"How do you do, Rips7 said she family
His eyes glowed with devilish glee.
"How do l dol You're interested in m,
health. It's good, thank you, and all the bet
ter of seeing you. You've snubbed me al
your life, Miss, and now can take my pay
right here. Hand over that there blue ring